davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26
CONTRAST AND COMPARISON.
The Two Principles Upon Which Human
Ideas Depend

The Two Principles Upon Which Human
Ideas Depend.
The view that we take of everything de-
ponds upon the principle of contrast and
comparison. Many years ago the majority
of our ancestors lived in mud huts, with no
chimneys or glass windows, with no separate
apartments by day or by night, no carpets
on the floor and more generally no floor eX-
cept the bare earth AS late as the time Of
Edward III the household furniture of re-
spectacle, well-to-do families consisted of a
bed, though this was luxury by no means
universal-a brass pot for cooking purposes
a grdirOn, brass cup, rag or two and
towel. They had no chairs or tables, and
even in the houses of the nobility there was
nothing but chest to sit upon. With their
habits of life cleanliness was impossible, and
it was considered extravagant to have clean
straw on the floor every day. They lived for
the most part on sailed meats, and in the
reign of Henry VIII our most common vege-
tables were unknown. They had no tea or
coffee, and no such variety of breadstutfs as
are common in the humblest households
now. If any Ofus were suddenly reduced to
this style of living, the discomfort would be
intolerable, but it issnot to be supposed that
our venerable ancestors had any such feeling
growing out of the way in which they were
obliged to live.
They never had any experience ola better
style of life, and were content with things as
they were. Within very few years we have
become habituated to many luxuries in our
domestic life, which, in time, Will be re-
garded as almost Indispensable; and what is
to come in the future no one can tell.-7he
Golden Fleece
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26
A GASTRONOMIC JOY.
HOW TO COOK YOUR THANKS
GIVING TURKEY.
General Ignorance of Americans as to the
Proper Manner of Preparing 1T for
the Table-The Way in Which 1T Should
be Done-It Ought Never be Boiled.

1t is melancholy fact, appropriate for
recognition and solemn record at this
season, that not one person out OF 10000
of our American people has ever par
taken of properly cooked turkey. The
wickedly ignorant way in which we Gus
tomarily treat that noble bird, in play
ing our wretched farce of preparing him
for the table has given rise to great mis-
conceptions concerning him. and it is
high time that the popular mental dark
ness on this subject shall be dispelled.
No error is more common than the
supposition that the turkey is a
iuceless fowl, and that-except when
wild-he has little flavor. Roasted as he
ordinarily is, admit that he is dry. But
that is because he is not roasted rightly,
and is no more the birds fault than it is
an excuse for the deep depravity of those
who boil him. | have strong convic-
ton that person who would boil a tur-
key would be capable of chopping his
lettuce with knife, putting sugar on
his oysters and spreading Limburger
cheese on his cantaloupe. In fact, there
is no knowing what a turkey boiler
might not do that is horrifying and re-
pulsive. The turkey should be roasted
always. There are two ways of roast
ing him-the wrong way, which is
that generally practiced, in a range
oven, or on spit or in a reflector
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26

Let US presuppose that your own in
telligent care, or the phenomenal honesty
of your poulterer, has provided you with
a large, young, tender, fat turkey, at
least three days killed, but perfectly
sweet. Boil four or five pounds of 1tal-
ian chestnuts, peel them and take out all
the brown, tannin-favored skin on and
in the kernels, pound them fine in a NOR
tar and moisten them we'll with good
Rhine wine. Mix in thoroughly a
pinch each of sweet marjorsm, sum-
mer savory, thyme and fnely-pow-
dered celery seed. Salt and pepper
to taste-using by preference little
cayenne instead of good deal of black
or white pepper-and, if procurable, add
a teaspoonful of paprika. Add four good
apples cut in very small pieces, and two
dozens of moderately large raw oysters.
If you are rich you may put in a big hand
full of trutt1es, and have reason to be
thankful that you could afford to do 80,
but they are not essential
With that mass you stuff your turkey
full and then sew him up tightly. There
will be, or should be. lot of that stuff
fling left over. Put it in a boat-shaped
glazed dish perforated with small holes
all around it. and when the time comes
will tell you what further to do with it,
Brush your turkey all over with pure,
sweet olive oil that has stood for few
minutes in dish in which you have
rubbed around a Glove of garlic. Now,
pin upon him with small wooden pins,
on all his projecting points, excessively
thin slices of the very sweetest and most
nicely favored fat bacon (well trimmed)
that you can procure.
Put your bird, thus prepared, in huge
stoneware crock, amply large to contain
him, with some sliced apples under him,
and with him the boat-shaped dish full of
stuffing. Fit the cover on the crock and
lutte it tightly all around, with soft blue
clay, such as plumbers use, Theoretically
sealing it.
Have at a moderate heat an old-fash-
toned brick oven-One of those dome
topped constructions with furnace I'M
derneath that no intelligent gormand
who can afford it should fail to have in
his backyard-and in it place your crock.
Keep up steady and moderate heat
in the oven. This is process that
requires time. Leave your crock in there
until the bird is thoroughly cooked. The
time that it will require depends, of
course, upon the size of the turkey and
heat of the oven, but may be roughly
assumed to be about one-half or two
thirds longer than would be necessary in
range oven or before an open fire. Re-
member that the cooking should be slow,
and very little practice and common
sense will enable you to regulate the
process to nicely.
Confined in that crock, all the Juices of
the bird, instead of being driven off in
fragrant steam for the aggravation of
neighbors who have no turkey, are re-
tanned in the flesh, and blended harmo-
niously with the exquisite f1avors of that
stuffing. And when you carve your tur-
key they will squirt out in the track of
your knife as the red juice flows from
the breast of properly-cooked canvas
back duck. Juicel Why, nothing but
a watermelon has more juice in it
than turkey cooked in that fashion. J
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26
Their First Dutv.

4 Boston clergyman, after reading the fol-
lowing week S programme of religious meet
ings on a recent Sunday. and announcing
that the remarks he was about to make had
reference to no particular political party,
thus addresses the congregation "And now
| wish to announce that l am informed that
caucuses of the political parties are to be
held the coming week to select candidates
for public offices, and it is my wish that
every man present should absent himself
from the prayer-meeting and be present at
those caucuses. Your vote at the caucus is
of more value than at the polls; there is the
place to smash political rings and secure the
absents himself from the prayer-meeting for
that purpose will perform his first duty as
citizen and Christian. '-E1change.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26

and soldiers keep out contention, discOn-
tents and coerce the people into worship of
despotic general government, while the
mir doles out justice locally. The in
habitants tremble when they speak the
name of the Gar, and possess holy fear
of and respect for him. Few travel be-
yond the confines of the commune, as all
must have new passport during Jan
uary of every year lat cost of ten rubles,
or 81 SOY, and this must be cised by the
local officer whenever the holder desires
to 60 outside the community. To this
officer also must be shown the object in
making journey. If it is ascertained
that the person who desires to go away
is malcontent or is suspected of
conspiracy, he or she is detained. There
are, therefore, no spreaders of sedition
roaming outside or inside the country.
Some of the villages are peopled by
gardeners and manufacturers, who supply
the markets of the cities. There are mar
kets here and at Moscow which are run
almost solely by the villagers. The
''people's markets" generally mean mar
kets by the producers, and these are
those who live in the villages round
about. The peoples markets" are usu
ally conducted in open squares. AT Mos
COW there is a strip of open ground
block deep and three blocks in length
on the north bank of the Moscow
river, where the producers conduct
market during the vegetable season, and
confusion abounds. More energy than
neatness is the rule, and the idea seems to
be to supply everybody at any price and
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26

governor is appoin ted. Then the gov
eminent, instead of the people, rules.
The governor of city in Russia is closest
to the crown excepting members of the
cabinet, and they are always selected
with reference to their loyalty to the
Gear. 1t is, for instance a much greater
thing to be the governor of St. Peters
burg, Moscow, Odessa, or one or the
other of the cities, than to be member
of President Cleveland's Cabinet. The
poweris here supreme-never an appeal
the salary large, the honor to the limit, and
the position for life. Whatever the mir
decides is settled. The mir always con-
ours, too, in the decision of the mayor
or st0rosto. If popular question comes
before the community, like that of some
general improvement or the suppression
of local wrong, a public meeting is
called and the mayor presides, while
the mir sits in judgment like a jury.
The verdict determines, and there is NC
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26
TSpecidl Correspondence

ST.. PETERSBURG Village or COM
mune life is one of the most interesting
studies in Russia Cities in the empire,
as we'll as the country organizations, are
ruled with an iron hand by the Gar, yet
those who chance to live in what are
classed as villages have almost absolute
local control. Away back in the teudal
ages, when the Gar trembled at his
power, there was established what is
known as the law governing communi-
ties. A commune or community in Rus
sia means village corporation. The
organization of village for local self
government is as simple as its power
when in operation is supreme.
When a community concludes to Or
ganize a village for self-government, a
public meeting is called. An elder
presides and states the object of the
gathering. 1t is to elect a mir. A mir
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26
HOUSEHOLD PETS.
The Sympathy of the Human Heart Which
Goes Out to DEPENDENTS.


Goes Out to Dependents.
One of the redeeming traits of hard
humanity is its inherent fondness for
pets 1t is true that fine subject for
the satirist is sometimes found in the
coupling of an enthusiastic and extrav
agant devotion to a dumb animal with
an apparently unnatural indifference to
the sutferings of fellow-creature. Stern
and even callOus natures have been known
to lavish an affection otherwise dormant
on some favOrite beast or bird and some
times pet dog receives from its mistress
a treatment for which maid and man
servant would be grateful.
But the rule is not so. Somewhere in
the heart that goes out to dependent
among the lower orders of life there is
a softness and a sympathy that has
touch of the divine The sacred fire is
burning there, and perchance it is due
to external conditions that no man or
woman basEs in its warmth. Tendrils
that in middle age enWrap themselves
around the always responsive affections
of a brute may long ago have reached
out and sought resting-places along the
wall of some cold, repellant human soul,
and found upon its adamant and icy sur
face no spot to which their gentle touch
could cling.
There is no denying that pets are
troublesome. More or less, they bring
into home new conditions and new
duties. They require watching and at
tention, and they sometimes tax our
energies at inopportune moments. Here,
however, is one main source of their hold
upon US. 1t is strange and beautiful
fact that the most kindly emotion is
kindled not by receiving kindnesses, but
by doing them. The one who accepts
favor may feel secretly degraded,
and may openly prove ungrateful;
but he who bestows the benefaction is
always the better for it and the fonder
of the other. The Master well said that
it is more blessed to give than to receive.
Pets are a moral agency, as well as a
pleasure, received in this light and while
they should be made to behave like
children, they should be taught to rely
on our willingness to take any reason
able amount of pains to crafty their
desires
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26

10 council or popular assembly of ten
men. These are chosen from the body,
like q committee on resolutions, and con-
stitute permanent court or tribunal for
the trial of common causes embracing all
penal offenses. Of course offenses
against the government or the crown
do not come within even the prelim-
mary jurisdiction of such legal bodies
as these, for there is trial of such causes
only by court-martial, which has no pre-
Hminary and no appeal. The mir, or the
village, at its meeting then selects q
mayor, known as the starosta. This officer
generally serves for the good of the COM
munity without salary, for there is no
tax or fund from which to pay him, and
as no official return to the crown is made
of these meetings and elections, there is
NO procedure for the collection by law of
any debt on account of official services.
The privilege of this form of self-gov-
eminent is simply vested in villages, and
they may avail themselves of it, and once
they do 50 they must settle questions
pertaining to their organization them
selves. There is no upper court to go
to. Like the organization of legisla-
lures in the United, States the power of
the body organization rests within the
body itself.
There is a superstition that the power
of the mir and the starosta is as divine
as it is supreme. 1t is believed that
these offices came down from God,
as they afford the only channel for
popular voice. When village grows
to sufficient Importance to become,
In the eyes of the Gar, city,
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26
INVOLVEMENT POPULARITY,
How Strangers Are Greeted by the Ma
tives in China.

tives in China.
A correspondent writing from Tien-Tsin,
China, speaks of the eager curiosity of the
natives at the appearance of foreigners
among them, and relates the following in
cident: In one store where we were
brought to bay by mob of stolid silent
starers, who stood fifteen and twenty deep
with the last men climbing on the shoulders
of those in front of them, we sat down over
powered by the continued ovation. The
audience were all men; tall, brawny fellows
bareheaded, stripped to the waist While
they stood gaping in silence, a broad -chested
Hercules, with the countenance of a Roman
senator, suddenly attacked the crowd from
the rear and beat his way to the front with
So much buster and apparent Indignation in
MS tones that we felt that here at last was
deliverer, some one in authority, who would
drive off the crowd. That man proved the
greatest fraud of all, for after all his brow
beating and cutting he planted himself in
the very front row and stared harder than
any of them"
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26
Spirits in q Bowling Allev,

Alameda, CAL, has haunted" bowling
alley. Several people living in the vicinity
declare they have seen Spirits in the place,
but the proprietor is skeptic on that score.
He thinks the Spirits are none other than
tramps or hoodlums, and proposes to let
three bears spend night in the alley. The
effect, he expects, will be beneficial
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26

all calculated for
the dissipation O
his delicate, volatile
excellences /; and the
right way, about
which l am going
to tell you, in order
that your Thanks
giving dinner, if you
take my advice, may
contain in itself
something to be
thankful for. Cook
your turkey accord
ing to my prescrip-
ton and YOU will not
need to mentally re-
connoitre the field of
Divine mercies pre-
cedent to and apart
from your dinner to
attune your being to
the spirit of Thanks
giving Day. And
raise me no bubbles
that my method is
not "roasting'' as
you understand that
word. Name it as
you will, but try it.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26
Hyphen and Hymen.

Miss D'Hocquetonville-No it is impossi-
bic, sir. never can be your wife.
Smith, have youth wealth. social stand
ing-and love you.
Miss D'Hocquetonville (shuddering)-But
your name.
Smith-Ah remember! am of the Stuy-
vesant-Von RipperVan Renssalaer-Roose-
velt-Couger-Schuyl er-Smith.
Miss D'Hocquetonville-He Henry, relent!
] am yours. But please always write your
name with hyphen.-Judge.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26

with anything. There is something of
order in the markets governed by the
cities and that pay city tribute. 1t is
nothing for villager to travel all night
to market five ru5les' worth of garden
truck.
The transportation by the village mar
ketman is through the medium of OK
carts. There is usually an open field
hard by city or market where the
peasants oxen and cart stand during
market hours. Sometimes one OK is
hitched, the other is loose, or one
OK rests while the other munches
grass. The cattle are generally poor
in blood and flesh. Since the far
mers of Russia are nearly all tenants,
and the merchantmen who are not capt.
talists are serfs, the life of the villager
appears to be the most contented and
happy of all. He makes his own bed and
occupies it. P. s. HEATH.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26
A Weak Pen.

Were our pen quill from the pinion of the
Hottest seraph that basks in cleaning glory
and dipped in the refulgent radiance of the
we could not describe how supremely happy
one of our young men looks when in the
ethereal presence of his adored one.-Ex-
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26

And when you taste one so prepared you
will know a new JOY in gastronomy, will
appreciate this splendid bird at his true
value, will pity the ignoramus who calls
him "dry" and scorn the wretch who boils
him, and never again, if you can avoid it,
will you have your turkey otherwise
served at Thanksgiving or any other
time. J. II. Connolly.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26
Furnishing Bisamv.

A Russian girl was condemned to lifelong
imprisonment for marrying sixteen hus-
bands. But this Will likely be tritiing ex,
the dismal records of conjugal precedent.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26

/ Up to Snuff.
The latest wrinkle in dudedom is the gold
snutf-box, and every "chappy' has ordered
one in the most expensive style. The poor
little anatomies will undergo the agony Oh
martvrdom in introducing the exhilarating
dust into their nostrils but it is the thing
YOU know, and they are bound to go through
with it. TO the soul weary of heavy walk
ing sticks the snuff: box will be boon, now.
ever much it may prove nuisance 70 1ns
outside public.-Erchange
Feryid Promise.
The promises of fervid g low
Onr cooler moments disregard,
A.. hr;cts which we transmit below,
To nave the devils boulevard
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26
Have you ever seen the whirling, and the

Have you the whrling, and the @Ei$S$n' ~
tossing and the twirlng, and the rustic
crisp and hustle of the leaves within gust? Thus the people
admonished ockd delighted and notwithstanding mad
shouting gladly SO their ills he might adjust
Smiling pleasantly gave them of St Jacobs Oil them faces
fearful cheerful the curing liquids sight Round and round
table land valley of then
pleasure, ubianty they unite.
"Oh, hep pleasantly that its mixture We will
will apply it. hence all terng delay and the happy words
with the distant echoes mute softly signing and reply
ing as the his way.
Juamonh thereafter ubn the with ugher through the val
ley Innovations they send the fragrant howersa
about in tribute showers do honor the donor the 1emdthe
Singing our pains enedby compeeand spenddi
Ielng evil quelng turning and wiches right and the maids
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26
A Failure Explained.

Another manufacturer of chairs has failed.
The creditors found no fault with his chair
bottoms; it was his bills they could not get
receipted.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26
RURAL LIFE IN RUSSIA
HOW VILLAGES ARE GOVERNED
IN THAT COUNTRY.

The Almost Absolute Power Exercised
by the Naturalization and Religion
Under the Charge of the Crown-The Way
I'm Which the Markets Are Conducted.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26
"Children

DIuTpu III
their grow
ing stages,
Fossils in
extremes Of
ages, from
their stit-
ch es and
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26

their twitches, [ can have them
safely freed; ease their pain Of all
its rigor, fill the frame with vim
andyigor, end this worry in a hur-
ry, give the remedy they need"
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26

in the villages. A Rus
sian village scene isthe
most cheerful in all
this frigid portion of
the globe. Detectives
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26

The fly that sips treacle is lost in the
sweets.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26

with happy faces tripped IN
airy, nimble PAGES, danced
before him, flowers bore
him, and St. Jacobs Oil
they sung until he vanished
from the sight.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26
THE SAGE'S GIFT.

a barren rock and
dismal, frowning
into depths abys-
NAL, where the
moaning and the
grooming Of the
pines their shud-
ders wrought, sat
an aged man and
lonely, by rehec-
ton tended only,
and he uttered or
he muttered to
the jeering winds
his thought.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26

"Over yonder in the dis
lance. there in va
Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-02-10
adopted b. this Congress, he had better
prepare himself 1t once 10 say upon what
articles Of import he IL ready to cut the
tav
Gress StupIdlty.

OsOSo NsuRsWVys
The Gre on Wednesday evening, whereby
the engine house on East King street, oc.
cupied by No. company and truck a,
was heavily damaged by flames and water,
was ridiculous in one phase and quite
serious In another. Itwould I've laughable
70 think Of building specially devoted to
fire prevention uses quietly burning while
two firemen were OH duty, II it were not
for the fact that the taxpayers will have
10 pay for the fun.
For in the inscrutable wisdom Of the Gre
committee of councils, it was decided not
to place any insurance on the building.
They, good men, regarded it as absurd that
building filled with fire apparatus, and
occupied by men whose exclusive duty 1t
was to fight fires, should he insured. They
thought that a $1,000 building owned by
the city was too cheap property to bother
about when surrounded by guards such al
those enumerated. And now when the tax.
payer looks at the mournful wreck. and
thinks Of the loss that he must pay, wha,
wonder that he complains Of the numb
skulls that are allowed to control the nun
icipal administration.
If fires are going to break out and burr
disastrously in the abiding place of tn,
fireman, the city had better take out pol
icies Of life insurance on the employees O.
the Ere department as they seem TO be in
great danger of cremation in their engin,
houses.